Shaft-rocking mechanism



Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERCY RAYMOND KEMBLE, OF WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO THE '1. L. SMITH COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

SHAFT-ROCKING MECHANISM.

Application filed February 14, 1924. Serial No. 692,683.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PERCY RAYMOND KEMBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Allis, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Rocking Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved shaft rocking mechanism and more specifically to a mechanism particularly adapted to rock the discharge spout carry ing shaft of concrete mixers.

Certain types of concrete mixers com monly' called non-tilting, are constructed with mixing drums which rotate about a fixed axis and in such mixers the material is discharged by the introduction of a spout into the discharge opening of the mixer drum and it is necessary that means be provided for swinging the spout clear of the drum during the mixing operation. In order to withstand the heavy load incident to their service, these spouts may be constructed of comparatively heavy metal and must be strongly supported. Heretofore these spouts have generally been suspended adjacent the drum upon a shaft carrying a heavy Weight counterbalancing the spout and have been rocked by a toggle connection. Such supporting and operating apparatus is heav i and cumbersome and involves considerabie additions to the mixer and supporting structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shaft rocking mechanism without zounterbalanc-e weights, particularly adapted for rapid manual operation.

It is a further object to provide means of this character which automatically locks the shafts in either of two limiting positions of its rocking movement.

It is an additional object to provide a construction of this character which is simple in design and composed of but few parts, adapted for ready commercial production.

Other and further objects will appear as the discription proceeds.

I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in the acompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the spout and shaft rocking mechanism, portions of the mixer being tion thereto;

Figure 2 is a front view of the rocking mechanism; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2. 1

As shown in Figure 1, the frame 11 carries the rock shaft 12 supported in suitable bearings 13 and 141. This shaft is located closely adjacent the mixer drum 15. The discharge spout 16 is carried by arm 17 which is secured to the shaft 12 by key 18. The operating arm 19 is keyed to the outer endof the shaft 12. i

The operating lever 20 is pivotally supported in the bearing 21, securedto the side of the supporting frame. This lever 20 is provided with the handle 22, for manual operation. The pivot in 23 is secured to the lever 20 at a point intermediate its length. The member 24 is secured to the pivot pin 23 and the member 25 is secured to the member 24 by rivets 26 and 27 The members 24- and 25, as shown in Figure 3, are separated a distance sufiicient to permit the rock arm 19 to pass therebetween. The rollers 28 and 29 are carried upon the separators 31 and 32 which latter are secured in place by and engage opposite edges of the rock arm 19. The cotter pin 30 is passed through the lower end of the arm 19 and serves to limit relative movement between the lever 20 and the arm 19.

In the operation of the apparatus the parts are shown in Figure 1 as in their outer position, or that position during which the mixing operation takes place. It will be noted that the arm 19 and that portion of the lever 20 between its operative connecshown to illustrate its application to the arm 19 and its pivot, are located.

sustantially at right angles to each other. Consequently the weight of the spout 16 causes the arm 19 to transmit a thrust to the lever 20 which thrust extends through the pivot of the lever. This thrust, therefore, serves to lock the parts in this position. The cotter pin 30 prevents the lever from swinging downwardly in the counter-clockwise direction.

When it is desired to discharge a batch the lever 20 is swung manually in clockwise direction. The initial movement of the lever carries the lever and arm out of their locked right angle position and the weight of the discharge spout serves to assist in the swinging movement of the lever. The momentum of the spout aids in completing the quick swinging movement to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1.

It will be observed that in this latter position the arm 19 and inner section of the lever are again substantially at right angles and the weight of the spout and of any load carried thereby serve to maintain the spout fixedly in this position. The spout is again swung to the outer position by the quick swinging movement of the lever 20. The weight and momentum of the spout assist in the movement.

\Vhile the relation of the arm 19 and inner portion of the lever 20 has been stated as at right angles in the limiting positions, it will be understood that this relation is approximate only, as they would normally be swung just slightly beyond this position in order to prevent jars from transmitting suflicient movement to start the parts out of locked position.

hile this rocking mechanism has been specifically described in relation to a mixer spout, it is to be understood that it may be applied to other apparatus where a similar movement is desired. I, therefore, contemplate such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Shaft rocking means comprising an arm keyed to the shaft, a lever pivotally supported adjacent the shaft, means carried by an intermediate portion of the lever slidably engaging the arm, a handle on the free end of the lever and stop means carried by the end of the arm preventing disengagement of the arm and means carried by the lever.

2. Shaft rocking means comprising an arm keyed to the shaft, a lever pivotally supported adjacent the shaft, means pivotally secured to the lever carrying rollers engaging the arm, and a stop carried by the arm and adapted to engage the means to stop relative movement of the arm and lever at such points that the arm and the portion of the lever between its point of connection to the arm and its pivot, are substantially at right angles to each other.

Signed at Milwaukee, isconsin, this twenty-fourth day of January, 1924.

PERCY RAYMOND KEMBLE. 

